"The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here
is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners"'"(Matthew
11:19, NIV).

Last week's
lesson focused
on sayings of Jesus that leave contemporary people scratching their heads.
This week's lesson probes similar issues, but in respect to His conduct.

One of our problems with Jesus is our perennial temptation to re-create Him
in our own image. The revolutionary makes Him out to be one of them; social
conservatives believe they have Him in their corner. To an extent, that is
unavoidable. After all, our own culture and situation form the matrix through
which we both consciously and even unconsciously view reality. But to be
conscious of this fact offers some hope that we can begin, at least in some
limited way, to transcend it, and attempt as objective an approach as we
can to the Jesus we find in the Gospels.

Once we do that, we discover that it is not easy to pigeon-hole Him, not
easy to place Him in a tidy little package with the word solved on top. Instead,
we find ourselves genuinely puzzled by aspects of His conduct, wondering:
Does He expect us to do that, and in the same way?

This week we will look at some of the more puzzling actions of Jesus in order
to learn what we can apply and, perhaps, not apply to our own lives.

*Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, May 17.

SUNDAY

May 11

Neglecting Parents?

As stated earlier, the Gospels are almost totally silent on the first 30
years or so of Jesus' life. Though not much is given, there is one account
of this time frame that gives us pause.

Read
Luke
2:41-51. At first sight, what impression does the passage leave about
Jesus' regard for His parents? On the other hand, what else might have been
going on here? What hint could be found in
verse
47?

The incident, on the face of it, gives the impression of an irresponsible
lad, utterly uncaring about the pain and anxiety of his parents. What parents
would not be terribly angry at such apparently callous disregard for their
convenience and the rules of their home?

This is one of those events that show the limits of using Jesus' conduct
as a model in every case. What is happening here, it would seem, is that
Jesus' messiahship has already begun to shine through at the tender age of
12. He is becoming conscious of an allegiance to a Power infinitely higher
than His parents, however much He respected them. The brevity of Luke's account
leaves a dozen questions unanswered, such as: Who fed and housed the lad
those three days? Did the priests have any concern to find His parents?

Read
Jesus' response to His parents. What was He telling
them, at least indirectly?

"But," Luke reports, "they did not understand what he was saying to them"
(Luke
2: 50, NIV). Jesus would return home with them and, as a child, be
subject to them
(vs.
51); but He had taken pains to establish the position of a higher
loyalty. Nor is there any indication that He ever apologized for the terrible
inconvenience He had caused His anxious parents.

Jesus' entire life was guided by the supremacy of God and God's kingdom,
even at the cost of being misunderstood. In what ways might your loyalty
to God be misunderstood by others? If this has ever happened to you, what
did you learn that could, perhaps, help someone else going through a similar
experience?

MONDAY

May 12

Displaying Anger?

When Jesus descended the Mount of Transfiguration, a man emerged from a crowd
at the base with a request that Jesus heal His son. He had taken the boy
to the disciples, the man explained, but they had been unable to cure him.
Jesus' response, as it comes through in translation, gives the impression
of being peeved by the request. "O unbelieving and perverse generation,"
He replied, "...how long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me"
(Matt.
17:17, NIV). At the very least, such words seem uncharacteristic
of the One we have come to know as the "gentle Jesus, meek and mild." How
might we explain Jesus' tone here? It is a difficult call. The Gospels mention
other occasions when Jesus certainly appeared angry, as well.

Many Christians consider that the way for us to proceed with choices in our
complex, contemporary world is to ask: What would Jesus do? It sounds simple
enough, until one asks the logical preliminary question: What did Jesus
do? Here we discover that the answers are not always as simple as we may
think. What, for example, are the implications of the above passages for
our own conduct today?

"Presuming that what Jesus would do today has some correlation with what
he actually did thenin first-century Roman Palestine . . . how
in the world might a contemporary Christian go about replicating and applying
these bizarre incidents of tree-cursing and temple-disrupting? If our favorite
grocery store happens not to stock a particular fruit we are
cravingbecause it's out of season!do we proceed, with Jesus'
blessing, to curse the fruit bin, the produce manager, and everything else
in sight? And if the preacher goes on too much about money one Sunday or
if we are just generally miffed at various church personnel and programs,
do we bust in during a worship service and start upending pews, pulpits,
altarsanything not nailed downand bouncing ushers from the
premises?"F. Scott Spencer, What Did Jesus Do?, p. ix.

What principles should we bring to bear upon such questions? Where
does spiritual common sense come in? Jesus came as the Messiah, the Savior
of humanity. How do we distinguish what He did strictly in that role from
that which He intends for us to follow?

TUESDAY

May 13

Destroying Personal Property?

An underlying concern of this week's lesson centers on the way we use Jesus
as our model. How straightforward is the goal of "following His example"?
And what we are noticing is that it is a matter that calls for the most careful
thought and discrimination. There are certainly cases; the majority, in fact,
in which we detect a clear, ethical example to follow; in others the principle
is not very clear. Two cases:

Read
Matthew
8:28-32(compare
Mark
5:1-20,
Luke
8:26-39) and
Matthew
21:18, 19(compare
Mark
11:12-14, 20, 21). Why do you think Jesus allowed the demons to
enter the herd of swine? Would He have done the same thing if the animals
had been sheep? Where is the sympathy in Jesus' action here? Was there a
concern on His part that, regardless of His own dietary strictures, the herd,
nevertheless, represented the livelihood of one or more families in the town?
How would the idea of compensation fit into this picture?

"If these swine were owned by Gentiles, we should be left without a real
explanation for their destruction. To say that the devils were ordered merely
to leave the men, and that their entering the swine was their own act,
contradicts their request to Jesus and the plain statements of Mark and of
Luke that Jesus gave them permission"R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation
of St. Matthew's Gospel (Minneapolis, Minn.: Augsburg Publishing House,
1943), p. 353. Another Bible scholar sees in Jesus' action "a powerful protest."
"The name 'Legion' and the pig mascot," he says, "both signify Roman military
occupation." Thus Jesus' intention was to "protest against oppressive Roman
possession of Israel"F. Scott Spencer, What Did Jesus Do?, p.
101.

Ellen G. White says that "it was in mercy to the owners of the swine
that this loss had been permitted to come upon them. They were absorbed in
earthly things, and cared not for the great interests of spiritual life.
Jesus desired to break the spell of selfish indifference, that they might
accept His grace"The Desire of Ages,
p. 338. While these comments
might help us to understand certain calamities that come upon us personally,
how do you see it setting any precedence in regard to our own action? Or
is this one of those actions pertaining to Jesus' role as Messiah-prophet,
and not intended as an example for us to follow, as such? How would you make
the case that the same is true as regards the cursing of the fig tree (which
probably had a personal owner)?

WEDNESDAY

May 14

Neglecting the Persecuted?

In His most dramatic depiction of the last judgment, Jesus tells about when
He will divide the nations gathered before Him into two groups, the sheep
and the goats. To the sheep He says, among other things, "I was in prison
and you came to visit me"
(Matt.
25:36, NIV).

Read
the following texts in the light of Jesus' judgment
pronouncement. Give your immediate impression on how you think the text relates
to His prison reference in the judgment.

How is Jesus' conduct during the imprisonment of John to be explained? Upon
first hearing of John's incarceration, He returns to Galilee
(Matt.
4:12). And all the evidence suggests that John did not receive a
visit from his illustrious contemporary while in the dungeon, a clear implication
of
Matthew
11:2, 3. According to the passage, John dispatches his disciples to Jesus
with a question; that being, apparently, the only means of contact available
to him. Following the visit of John's people, Jesus launches into high praise
for the embattled prophet but does not visit him.

One of the most persistent questions we face as human beings centers around
the issue of suffering: "Where is God when we hurt?" In the experience of
John, we have a partial answer, in terms of Jesus' conduct. Though He was
God in human flesh, with power to act, Jesus does not intervene to rescue
the one who had helped prepare the ground for His own ministry. And following
John's murder, all we get from Jesus (Who, we suspect, felt it keenly) is
silence. Nor is it likely that He or His disciples attended John's funeral.

How
would you explain Jesus' conduct during this dark time
for John? What were the probable extenuating circumstances that might have
played a role in His decision? (See The SDA Bible Commentary, vol.
5, p. 316, which suggests that the authorities were attempting to silence
both John and Jesus.)

And how can His behavior during the entire episode with the Baptist
help us understand the silence of God in our own times of trouble?

THURSDAY

May 15

Hanging Out With
Undesirables

Most of us have a doctored image of Jesus. And however often we hear that
He associated with those whom His own society considered unacceptable, our
imagination either holds back from going all the way or goes too far. Often,
rather than quietly coming to grips with what that aspect of Jesus' life
should mean for us today on a personal basis, we use His behavior to beat
one another on the head, for being too exclusive, too conservative, in regard
to the more seedy elements of the society. One suspects, however, that a
careful examination of Jesus' relations with the undesirables of His
day would leave most (if not all) of us feeling at least a tad uncomfortable.

If we apply these passages to our times, our imagination should see Jesus
sitting down with people of questionable morals in settings of deepest fellowship
(as was mealtime in the ancient world). Eating and drinking are taking place;
loud and raucous music is heard; practicing prostitutes lurk in the shadows.
That is the setting, and that is precisely where Jesus went.

Interestingly, it is from Jesus Himself that we learn about the most pejorative
labels his enemies promulgated about Him: that He was "a glutton and a
drunkard"
(Matt.
11:19;
Luke
7:34, NIV). "These slurs would never work against a John the Baptist
or a Gandhi, but for one who spends as much time as Jesus does frequenting
and talking about dinner parties and banquets, they make a point, even if
exaggerated"F. Scott Spencer, What Did Jesus Do?, p.
90. However exaggerated, it was nothing short of extraordinary for the Savior
of the world to be charged with inebriation and overeating.

What can we learn from these texts that we can apply to our own lives?
What should we not apply? As you answer, think about what purpose Jesus had
for being with these people. How does that answer help us understand what
practical principles we can take away?

FRIDAY

May 16

Further
Study:

"Jesus saw in every soul one to whom must be given the call to His kingdom.
He reached the hearts of the people by going among them as one who desired
their good. He sought them in the public streets, in private houses, on the
boats, in the synagogue, by the shores of the lake, and at the marriage feast.
He met them at their daily vocations, and manifested an interest in their
secular affairs. He carried His instruction into the household, bringing
families in their own homes under the influence of His divine presence. His
strong personal sympathy helped to win hearts"Ellen G. White, "At the
Marriage Feast," p. 151, in The
Desire of Ages.

"Christ's method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The
Saviour mingled with (people) as one who desired their good. He showed His
sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then
He bade them, 'Follow Me'"Ellen G. White, "Teaching and Healing,"
p. 143, in The Ministry of
Healing.

Discussion
Questions:

What is righteous anger? When is it legitimate, and
when is it not? Take your thoughts to class for discussion.

How
is Jesus' relationship with the undesirables of society a guide for us? Under
what conditions might our association with sinners become a peril to our
own souls? In all His social contacts, Jesus seemed to be in charge. What
should that say to us in our own attempts to penetrate the more questionable
areas of society?

To what extent is Jesus' conduct a model for us today? To what extent
is it not? What are other examples of His conduct here that might be problematic
for us to follow?

Think more about this idea of being misunderstood by others as we
seek to follow God's will. Though we see examples of this, such as in Jesus'
early life, why must we be careful? That is, some people have done some very
damaging things to themselves and to others, all because they believed that
God told them to. How do we know for sure that God is calling us to do certain
things that might cause us to be misunderstood? Why should we be open to
the counsel of others before we do things that we are convinced that God
told us to do? At the same time, how can we be careful not to impede someone
who is being led by God in ways that might seem strange to us?

I
N S I D E
Story

Daniel's New Songby DANIEL NEWMANN

I was born in Brazil, but my parents took me to America when I was still
a baby. I was a good kid, but in junior high things changed. I got interested
in punk rock music, and it changed my life. I wore punk-style clothes and
hung out with punk friends. I started drinking and smoking marijuana with
them, and soon I was part of their culture.

When my mom realized what I was involved in, she freaked out. She had sent
me to a good school so I would make good friends, and suddenly I was going
the wrong way. Although my mom had some weird religious ideas, she started
telling me how much God loves me and how Jesus died for me. Because of her
prayers and encouragement I stopped smoking and drinking.

But I still loved punk music, and it drew me into a culture that spelled
trouble. Mom tried to show me the dangers hidden in the lyrics of my music,
but I would not listen.

My punk friends never made fun of me when I refused to join them in drinking
or smoking. However, in time I realized that there was no future in the gang,
and I began to pull away. But when the gang realized that I wanted to leave,
they told me that if I left they would kill me. I was afraid, for they had
killed another boy who had betrayed the gang.

I told my parents that my life was in danger. My mom understood and suggested
that I go to Brazil. I had spent summers there, so I agreed. She found a
Christian school on the Internet and enrolled me.

I arrived at school-an
Adventist boarding school-and liked it immediately. Everyone was friendly.
And the music I heard there touched my heart. One Sabbath as the choir sang,
I felt God speaking to me through the music. I knew that I was where God
wanted me to be. I could relate to the speaker, who told how God had rescued
him from a terrible life. By the end of the service I knew that I wanted
to be a Christian. I began studying the Bible, and I shared with my mother
what I was learning.

Mom had enrolled me in this school to save my life, but God used this school
to save my soul. I want my mom to believe in God the way I am learning to
believe. I once loved punk music, but God has given me a new song, a song
I love to sing.

DANIEL NEWMANN [left] is a student at an Adventist academy in eastern
Brazil.